May Box Office Preview: It’s Miranda Priestly vs. FranSeth, JMFyang, DonBelle, Grogu, and the Midnight Girls

As the summer season kicks off in America, Hollywood is bringing out the big guns to sustain its box office momentum this year. Interestingly, the local industry is also gearing up for an intense (but friendly) rivalry against foreign releases, as it is surprisingly well-prepared for the month of May. Let’s take a look at what’s ahead:

• April 29–May 5

Technically, The Devil Wears Prada 2 and She Who Must Not Be Named are April releases, but they will only play for two days during the month, meaning Miranda Priestly and FranSeth will make most of their money in May.

Back to Prada 2: the highly anticipated sequel is looking to dominate the box office this month, with presales already ahead of all Marvel 2025 films and at around a third of where Wicked: For Good was a week before release—a good place to be. It’s not even out of the realm of possibility that it could surpass its predecessor’s final total here ($660K in 2006) within its opening week alone.

Fueling the anticipation is strong support from Disney and exhibitors. As previously reported, actress Anne Curtis and vlogger-YouTuber Mimiyuuuh got the chance to meet the sequel’s stars, Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. SM Cinema has also installed red stiletto displays in three branches: Mall of Asia, Marikina, and Lanang. It’s clear they’re anticipating a major win.

(C) Solar Studios

Looking to counterprogram Priestly and co. is the rom-com She Who Must Not Be Named, starring Francine Diaz and Seth Fedelin under Solar Pictures. The two were last seen together in the recent Shake, Rattle, and Roll iteration and My Future You, both Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entries. They also starred in the ABS-CBN series Sins of the Father, which concluded in November 2025.

Clearly, the love team has been in the public spotlight and has shown decent theatrical audience interest, even on their own (My Future You). However, counterprogramming against Prada 2 may be a challenge due to demographic overlap and similar competition in the following weeks. Based on how Solar is marketing the film, it appears they will rely heavily on fandom support and fans are already planning block screenings. That said, this could still perform strongly once it hits SVOD, and a strong final-week push can make a difference.

• May 6–12

Speaking of immediate competition, Regal Films and Project 8 will release Almost Us on May 6. Directed by Dan Villegas, it marks the first solo love team film of JM Ibarra and Fyang Smith. Like FranSeth, the two were last seen in the recent Shake, Rattle, and Roll movie.

(C) Regal, Project 8

One fascinating aspect of the film is its supporting cast. Pinoy Big Brother alum Dustin Yu has a special participation, while Dogshow Divas host Baus Rufo also appears. Whether strategic or not, these choices could broaden the film’s reach ahead of release. While awareness doesn’t always translate into ticket sales, increased visibility beyond the core fandom is still a positive sign.

The love team has also been active in promotions, appearing on popular YouTube shows such as House of D and Karen Davila’s personal channel. In a country still drawn to the romance genre, topics like love and chemistry are easily integrated into their interviews. Lower ticket prices have also been announced to attract casual moviegoers. Regal and Lunchbox have positioned the film for a potential breakout. Now, we’ll see if it pays off.

Meanwhile, Warner Bros. is finally releasing Mortal Kombat II that same week after moving it from its initial 2025 date. Its predecessor did not screen in local cinemas due to the pandemic, which could either help or hurt the sequel. To be fair, trailers suggest that prior viewing isn’t necessary. Fans of Billie Eilish will also get a 3D concert experience, co-directed by James Cameron, with Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour Live. Also opening are The Sheep Detectives and David.

• May 13–19

Now comes the dark horse of the month: TJAV and Warner Bros.’ Midnight Girls. Directed by Irene Emma Villamor, this sisterhood film boasts a strong ensemble cast: Sanya Lopez, Jane Oineza, Loisa Andalio, and Jodi Sta. Maria. The story appears accessible, and the inclusion of the song “Bakit Papa?” by the SexBomb Girls, fresh off their successful reunion concert, is an inspired touch. The film also gains prestige from its inclusion in the upcoming Far East Film Festival in Italy.

(C) TJAV, Warner Bros.

These are all strong ingredients for success—but there’s a catch. Recent non-MMFF drama films (Green Bones) or those outside Star Cinema (Meet, Greet & Bye) have struggled to break out. There have been moderate successes from independent studios, such as Sunshine and Bar Boys: After School—both of which Midnight Girls is currently matching or outpacing in social media metrics. Still, Filipino audiences often gravitate toward projects with the biggest stars, as seen with The Loved One starring Anne Curtis and Jericho Rosales.

That said, if any film can break through, it’s Midnight Girls. Its multi-story format appeals to different demographics, and its cast spans multiple networks which is great for coverage. Jodi Sta. Maria, in particular, remains a major draw and will be key in the final promotional push. Lopez, Oineza, and Andalio also have strong followings that just need to be activated.

TJAV and Lunchbox have shown confidence by screening the film to media nearly a month ahead of release, followed by additional screenings for exhibitors, critics, and content creators. With no major competing opener that week, the film is well-positioned to benefit from word-of-mouth and sustain buzz.

• May 20–26

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu aims to reverse the franchise’s declining box office appeal locally, possibly still affected by the reception to The Rise of Skywalker. The marketing push positions Grogu as this year’s Stitch. Whether that strategy will work for a Star Wars film remains to be seen. One advantage: limited family-oriented competition, unless audiences choose to wait for another Disney release like Toy Story 5.

• May 27–30

Closing the month is Star Cinema’s first release of 2026: Tayo Sa Wakas, directed by Cathy Garcia-Sampana and starring Belle Mariano and Donny Pangilinan. Garcia-Sampana and Mariano previously collaborated on the blockbuster drama Meet, Greet & Bye, while Pangilinan recently wrapped up his action series Roja. ABS-CBN has successfully expanded both stars’ reach to a broader audience.

(C) Star Cinema

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and it may just work in their favor, as this is the first DonBelle project since How to Spot a Red Flag in 2024. The big question now: are they ready for the big leagues? Their first film, An Inconvenient Love (2022), opened at a time when the local industry was still recovering. This time, they have a proven hitmaker at the helm.

ABS-CBN and Star Cinema’s marketing machine, arguably comparable to Disney’s, will undoubtedly back the project. The announcement trailer performed well, and the Boracay poster reveal signals the start of a full campaign rollout. It’s not hard to see the potential here.

It’s great that cinemas have a lot to offer this May for Filipinos, and gas prices have recently declined. Now comes the real test: studios must entice audiences, and viewers have to show up.